McIlroy finds birdies hard to get as De Chambeau zooms to top in Mexico

MEXICO CITY, Feb 22: Rory McIlroy went through his first 11 holes without a birdie, when many around him seem to be picking up birdies so comfortably in the second round of World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship. McIlroy, leader overnight did eventually manage four birdies, but also had two bogeys in his two-under 69 that saw him slip to Tied-sixth at eight-under 134.

Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau had nine, six of them in his first seven holes, as he carded eight-under 63 and soar to the top at 11-under 131. DeChambeau made seven birdies in an eight-hole stretch at Chapultepec Golf Club.

South Africans Erik Van Rooyen went one better by holing nine birdies and giving away no bogeys for nine-under 62, which saw him rocket to second place, up from T-14. Van Rooyen’s nine-under saw him get to 10-under 132

Sharing the second place with Van Rooyen was Patrick Reed (63) and Hideki Matsuyama (64) was T-fourth with Justin Thomas (66).

Defending champion Dustin Johnson struggled to 71 and was 16 shots behind.

Van Rooyen, who played college golf at Minnesota, celebrated his 30th birthday by making nine birdies to tie the course record of 62. Thomas ran off four straight birdies to end the back nine, and then holed a 35-foot eagle putt to build a three-shot lead through 10 holes. That was gone soon as other joined the party.

Matsuyama was 9 under for his round through 15 holes and had a 20-footer birdie attempt from the fringe on the par-3 seventh. He missed that 3 feet to the left, then missed the next one. He bogeyed the next hole, too, and had to settle for a 64. That left him at 9-under 133.

McIlroy opened with eight straight pars and then had a bogey and did not make a birdie until his 12th hole and fell six shots behind at one point. Two birdies at the end gave him a 69 and was only three shots behind.

Van Rooyen finished the year among the top 50 to earn his first trip to The Masters. He has a sponsor exemption to the Honda Classic and needs to be in the top 50 each of the next two weeks to get into the Arnold Palmer Invitational and THE PLAYERS Championship. He currently is at No. 52.

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